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WWE NXT #409 Play-by-Play and Review

WWE NXT #409 Play-by-Play and Review

You can scroll to the end for a TLDR recap of the show. This week will feature the new NXT Champion, Drew McIntyre, addressing the NXT crowd. Also, Roderick Strong gets his shot at Bobby Roode.

Backstage: The show opens with a frantic situation in the parking lot area. Alexander Wolfe is knocked out along with the rest of SAnitY and several security guards. Two men in white t-shirts are seen walking away as a furious William Regal arrives at the scene.

In-Ring: The new NXT Champion, Drew McIntyre, heads to the ring dressed business casual. He says the NXT title is his life and the last 17 years have led to this moment. He says he knows he now has a target on his back. McIntyre wastes no time and calls out Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, and Adam Cole specifically and says if anyone wants a shot at the champ, they can walk to the ring and ask for it.

Roderick Strong’s music hits and he is headed to the ring dressed to wrestle. Strong says he wants to congratulate McIntyre, but all he cares about his family and the NXT title. Strong says he’s going to beat Bobby Roode tonight and then he wants McIntyre’s title. McIntyre says he hopes Strong is ready to get knocked out like a man.

Thoughts: Poor Roderick Strong really has a tough time cutting a believable promo. The shtick about his family and such just comes across as so forced that I almost want to think it’s setting him up for a heel turn. I would compare him to Ember Moon in that neither one is comfortable standing out there with a microphone. As for the champ, he’s the traditional babyface in that he’s ready to face all challengers. Just Wrestling 101 there and nothing wrong with that.

Match #1: Ruby Riot v. Peyton Royce (w/ Billie Kay)

Ruby Riot somehow has grown her hair out like 8 inches in a few weeks and it’s a much better look, in my opinion. The ladies start with some aggressive tie-ups and back-and-forth. After some counters, Riot hits a drop kick and gets a near fall. Royce escapes an arm bar with a unique rope move and then pulls Riot into a knee to the face.

The crowd is inexplicably chanting for Peyton, who plays a pretty horrible human being on TV. Riot gets dumped to ringside and NXT goes to commercial. Back from break, Riot is still in trouble. Riot fires up with some forearms and kicks before using a head scissors to drive Royce’s face into the buckle. Royce kicks out of the pin attempt. Riot gets caught on the top rope, but blocks Royce’s superplex attempt. Billie Kay gets on the ring apron to distract Riot, which gives Royce time to hit a kick and a rolling Death Valley Driver. Riot kicks out of a believable near fall.

Riot ducks another heel kick attempt and picks up Royce for a huge powerbomb for another near fall. Billie Kay pulls Royce to ringside, so Riot hits a dive on both of them. Back in the ring, Royce pulls the ring skirt into the ring, which allows Billie Kay to pull Riot to ringside and just decapitate her with a big boot while the referee was fixing that. Royce hits the Perfect Plex and that’s good for the win.

Winner: Peyton Royce via pinfall

Thoughts: Yes, so what if Peyton Royce is my girlfriend? And so what if she doesn’t know this yet? Don’t judge me. In all seriousness, it wasn’t a bad match at all. I’m not sure I know where any of these women are headed as far as an NXT storyline, but like I’ve said before, Royce and Kay are main roster material. Ruby Riot is good, but I feel like she’s maybe in limbo until the Mae Young Classic inevitably leads to a female roster reload

Backstage: William Regal is standing by to address the attack outside the area on SAnitY and security. Kassius Ohno barges in and says he wants to get his hands on Hideo Itami. Regal says that will happen next week. Ohno also wants the match to be No DQ and Regal agrees to the stipulation.

Match #2: Heavy Machinery v. Camian Awield & Edwin Negron

Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic are getting a soft reset tonight by facing some local talent whose names I may have butchered. Awield and Otis start off with a tie-up that ends how you might expect. Dozovic runs over Awield and then tags in Knight. They hit a double team sandwich before Awield gets a tag to Negron. Knight flattens them both with a cross-body block, though. Heavy Machinery hits the Compactor on top of Awield and both men are pinned by Dozovic.

Winners: Heavy Machinery via pinfall

Thoughts: It was the same match Heavy Machinery has had on TV several times. I still don’t like them. The end.

Backstage: William Regal says that since Lars Sullivan has assaulted 3 tag team partners, he will face 3 opponents next week in a handicapped match. Sullivan seems pleased by this development.

Match #3 – Main Event: Roderick Strong v. Bobby Roode

There’s a Thank You Bobby chant (I believe these tapings happened after his SmackDown Live debut). Roode says Strong will always be a failure and Strong responds by shoving Roode down in the middle of his Glorious pose. Strong tackles Roode, but Roode forces him into the corner. Roode counters a backbreaker attempt, but gets caught with a huge drop kick. Strong jumps on Roode with more punches and then some chops in the corner.

Strong yanks Roode out of the corner into an impressive backbreaker and then hits another unique backbreaker using the ropes. On the ring apron, Roode shoves Strong back first into the post and then drives his spine into the steps. Strong charges out and eats a spine buster on the floor as NXT cuts to break. Damn, what a start.

Back from break, Roode is still in control and hits a neckbreaker for a 2-count. Roode scoops up Strong and delivers his own backbreaker before playing to the crowd. Roode hits another pendulum backbreaker. Strong tries to fight back, but Roode hurls him into the corner with a strong Irish whip. Strong catches Roode with a pop-up gut buster. After a mini-reset, Strong fires up with a several forearms and another backbreaker for a super close near fall.

Strong goes for a double under hook suplex and turns it into a powerbomb and into a pin attempt, which he then turns into a Boston Crab. Roode gets to the ropes to break it. Roode catches Strong in a fireman’s carry and transitions into a sort of Stunner. Strong gets drilled with another spine buster. Strong counters a Glorious DDT into an Angle Slam. Strong hits a running high knee in the corner and drops Roode on his face.

Roode gets caught on the top rope, but blocks a top rope backbreaker attempt. He doesn’t block the enzuigiri, though, and then a big superplex. Roode gets a shoulder up at the last instant. Roode uses an opportunity to nail the Glorious DDT, but Strong avoids a pin by rolling toward the ropes. When Roode finally does cover him, Strong gets a foot on the ropes. Roode talks trash about Strong’s family and slaps him in the face.

An enraged Strong fires up and hits 3 jumping knees to the face and then a Strong Breaker. Strong blows Roode a kiss and hits a second Strong Breaker before covering Roode for the win in the middle of the ring.

Drew McIntyre’s music plays after the match and he stands on the stage seemingly accepting Strong’s challenge. O’Reilly, Fish, and Cole blind side McIntyre, though. Cole spikes McIntyre with a DDT on the stage and then they beat up some security before Regal shows up and they run away and scatter into the parking lot.

Winner: Roderick Strong via pinfall

Thoughts: No surprises here as the outgoing Bobby Roode puts over Roddy Strong. This was a really good match and arguably Roode’s best NXT match – at least from his end. It felt like Roode wanted to go all out for his NXT finale and that’s a cool thing. Of course, the even bigger story is the Fish/O’Reilly/Cole group (I’ll appreciate a name, guys). Right now, they have the old nWo hit-and-run vibe to them. I’m looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.